This invention relates to an independent description selector apparatus and method. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus and method of providing an independent intuitive description selector in a mopier/copier for making a copy of an original.
A xe2x80x9cmopierxe2x80x9d is a new category of networked printers optimized to produce multiple original prints (mopies). Hewlett/Packard Company originally introduced the first mopier in 1996. Mopies are an efficient, low-cost, higher-print quality alternative to photocopies. Mopiers also have the capability of functioning as traditional copiers do. That is, just as copiers are useful in producing multiple xe2x80x9creproductionsxe2x80x9d of originals, mopiers can accomplish this task as well by providing multiple originals.
A problem exists with mopiers/copiers known in the art, however, at the point of the user interface with the machine. The traditional mopier/copier interface provides features based on function. For instance, two-sided copying is presented as xe2x80x9c1-1, 1-2,2-1, 2-2xe2x80x9d and page-to-page scaling is presented as xe2x80x9clegal-to-letter, A4-to-letter, etc.xe2x80x9d. That is to say, this type of interface, now known in the art, provides preselected or xe2x80x9ccannedxe2x80x9d choices which are unchangeably xe2x80x9clinkedxe2x80x9d together and which, while easy-to-use, have some drawbacks. For example, it is not always clear to a user where to go in the interface to find the functionality the user is looking for. For instance, does page-to page scaling go under xe2x80x9cpage sizexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cscalingxe2x80x9d? Further, these prior art xe2x80x9ccannedxe2x80x9d choices are linked by the interface designer in the sense that the designer couples a possible original choice with a possible copy choice. Combinations that are useful and obvious to the designer, however, may not be so obvious or useful to the ordinary user and, typically, the user is powerless to change them.
The known interfaces are even more awkward and difficult to use because some features are difficult to name and/or categorize. This causes an interface designer to simply add broad, new categories when new features come along. This in turn tends to clutter the user interface. Alternatively, the interface designer may lump these features into a catch-all category such as xe2x80x9cadvanced featuresxe2x80x9d because it is unclear even to the designer where to put them.
A related problem with the known mopier/copier interfaces is the inability to provide a list that is both comprehensive and usable. That is, for instance, if a mopier/copier allows eight paper sizes then an exhaustive list of page-to page scaling choices requires a list of sixty-four canned choices. A list that is overwhelming to the typical user. In short, no matter how good a copy a mopier/copier can produce, if it is confusing and difficult to use, it is more likely that it will not be used.
Further, in the traditional functions-based copier interface, features that may interact with each other such as xe2x80x9cbooklet modexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccenter staplexe2x80x9d (center stapling is not enabled unless booklet mode is chosen) may actually be in two different places in the interface. Thus, the user may not be aware that when they choose xe2x80x9cbooklet modexe2x80x9d that xe2x80x9ccenter staplingxe2x80x9d is now available.
Thus, in a mopier/copier for making a copy of an original, there is a need in the art for an independent description selector. In particular, there is a need in the art for an intuitive independent description selector that is easy-to-use, easy to update, and which provides a user with intuitive choices. It, therefore, is an object of this invention to provide an independent description selector in a mopier/copier for making a copy of an original that accommodates the needs of both designers and users.
Accordingly, the independent description selector apparatus and method of the present invention includes, in a mopier/copier for making a copy of an original, an independent original selector device for selection of parameters describing the original. An independent copy selector device is provided for selection of parameters describing the desired copy. In a preferred embodiment, the invention further includes an input device connected to the independent original selector device and to the copy selector device for adding and deleting parameters. In a still further embodiment, an audio/visual device is connected to the mopier/copier so that parameters are audibly and visually described as selected. In another preferred embodiment, the independent original selector device further includes an ordered list of available parameters for describing the original. In a further preferred embodiment, the independent copy selector device further includes an ordered list of available parameters for describing a copy. In other preferred embodiments, the available parameters are selected from a group including binding, color, graphics, number of sides, orientation, text and size.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, in a mopier/copier for making a copy of an original, an independent description selection method includes the steps of adding a list of parameters describing an original to the mopier/copier. An independent list of parameters describing a copy is added to the mopier/copier. Then, an independent original selector device is connected to the mopier/copier for selection of parameters describing an original. Next, an independent copy selector device is connected to the mopier/copier for selection of parameters describing a copy from the independent list of parameters describing the copy. Then, parameters are selected describing the original and, finally, parameters are selected from the independent list describing the copy to be created.
In a preferred embodiment of the method, the step of selecting parameters from a group including binding, color, graphics, number of sides, orientation, text and size, is added. In a still further embodiment, an input device is connected to the mopier/copier for adding and deleting parameters. In another preferred embodiment, an audio/visual device is connected to the mopier/copier so that parameters are audibly and visually described as selected.
In still another preferred embodiment, in a mopier/copier for making a copy of an original, computer code is recorded on a computer readable medium for providing an independent description selection system and includes computer code for an independent original selector for selection of parameters describing the original. Further, it includes computer code for an independent copy selector device for selection of parameters describing a desired copy. In a further embodiment, it includes computer code for providing an ordered list of available parameters for the independent original selector and the independent copy selector. In another preferred embodiment computer code is provided for selecting available parameters from a group including binding, color, graphics, number of sides, orientation, text and size. In yet another preferred embodiment, computer code is provided for adding and deleting parameters. Finally, in a preferred embodiment, computer code provides for audio/visual descriptions of parameters as selected.